Testicular Pain

The testicles are arguably one of the most sensitive parts of the male body. Regardless of what caused the pain, feeling of pain in one or both of the testes can lead to a serious disruption in a man’s life. Not to mention, it could also be a red flag of serious medical conditions that need to be treated immediately. The California Pain Consultants team in the Escondido, El Centro, La Mesa, San Diego, and Chula Vista areas are experts at diagnosing and treating testicular pain to help their patients get back to their ideal quality of life. 

What is Testicular Pain?

Testicular pain is any feeling of pain that is felt in the testicles. The testicles are small, egg-shaped reproductive organs located in the scrotum, which is a thin pouch of skin behind the penis. Most men, or those assigned male at birth, have two testicles, one on either side of the scrotum. Due to the fact that there are many sensitive nerves in the testicles, testicular pain can cause serious pain sensations. 

While this type of pain could be caused from an issue in one or both of the testicles, it could also be considered referred pain, which is pain that is caused from an issue in another area of the body. Testicular pain can be characterized as acute, which happens suddenly and lasts for a short period of time, or chronic, wherein the pain gradually grows and is felt for an extended period of time. 

If pain is felt for longer than an hour, it’s imperative that you seek help from a medical care professional. Testicular pain is not normal and could be the cause of a serious medical issue. 

What Causes Testicular Pain?

There are a variety of causes that could lead to testicular pain. They include: 

• Injury or impact: this is the most common cause of testicular pain, and most often occurs in younger men. While most minor injuries only cause temporary pain, serious trauma could require medical attention. 
• Infections that cause inflammation: the second most common cause of testicular pain, infections can lead to inflammation, which places stress on the nerves in the testicles. A main type of infection called epididymitis is most often caused by sexually transmitted diseases, but may also be related to an enlarged prostate (most often in older men). Symptoms include nausea, vomiting, fever, painful urination and pain during sexual intercourse. Another infection that leads to inflammation is orchitis, which is most often the result of a bacterial infection and is generally the next stage of inflammation if epididymitis was not treated or wasn’t fully treated. 
• Hernia: a condition that occurs, in regard to testicular pain, when part of the intestine protrudes through a weak point in the abdominal wall into the scrotum, causing pain and swelling. Symptoms include pain and bulging in the groin and scrotum that is worse with heavy lifting. 
• Kidney stone: a solid mass or crystal that develops in the urinary system that block the ureters and cause pain in the testicles, scrotum, groin and possibly back

Less common causes of testicular pain include: 

• Diabetic neuropathy: damaged nerves that cause numbness or tingling pain
• Fournier’s gangrene: a type of flesh-eating disease that affects the scrotum, penis or perineum
• Henoch-Schonlein purpura: short-term inflammation of certain blood vessels (vasculitis) thought to be triggered by a malfunction of the immune system
• Mumps: inflammation of one or both testicles that causes pain and swelling 
• Prostatitis: an infection or inflammation of the prostate gland
• Scrotal masses: lumps or swelling in the scrotum that could be caused by fluid buildup, abnormal growth of tissue or inflammation
• Testicular cancer: the most common cancer in males (and assigned male at birth) between the ages of 15 and 35. Sensations are described as a dull ache or pain in the testicles or groin.
• Undescended testicle: most common in babies and generally painless unless the cord attached to the testis becomes twisted
• Urinary tract infection (UTI): bacterial infection in the urethra, bladder and kidneys
• Varicocele: enlarged veins in the scrotum that cause pain with movement
• Testicular torsion: when the spermatic cord twists and cuts off blood flow to a testicle, usually the left
• Post-vasectomy pain: pain after surgery due to higher pressure in the vas deferens (the tubes that carry sperm)

While most causes of testicular pain are not serious, it’s important to get a diagnosis, which allows for a comfortable treatment plan as well as ruling out any potential serious issues. 

What are the Best Treatment Options for Testicular Pain?

The best way to treat both acute and chronic testicular pain is to get a proper diagnosis from a trained and experienced pain management specialist. The provider will be able to not only address the feelings of pain, but will also be able to treat the cause of pain. The most common treatment options include:

• Comfort measures: most often ice and rest
• Medication: anti-inflammatories, antidepressants, neuropathic medications and antibiotics (if needed)
• Acupuncture: an integrative medicine technique that has shown to effectively provide pain relief
• Biofeedback: learning how to recognize and manage pain
• Physical therapy: utilizing pelvic floor muscle training, hot and cold applications, ultrasound therapy and stretching to decrease pain
• Nerve blocks: blocking pain sensations from being sent to the brain, which has proven useful for long-term management of chronic testicular pain
• Spinal cord stimulation (SCS): using a mild electrical current to replace pain sensations with a buzzing sensation
• Surgery: used as a last resort when either conservative methods have failed to provide relief, or the cause of the pain calls for surgical intervention

A comprehensive approach is most often utilized, which helps the patient decrease their feelings of pain and reduce the frequency of pain. 

If you are suffering from testicular pain and would like to find relief, please reach out to the California Pain Consultants team in the Escondido, El Centro, La Mesa, San Diego, and Chula Vista areas today. Our team of pain management specialists can help to diagnose and treat the cause of pain, with a goal to help patients live a pain-free life.